Elaborate arrangements to conduct elections transperently: CEO

A couple of meetings were held for different agencies, including Income Tax, banks, police, GST, Enforcement Directorate and others to track any unauthorized practices.

Hyderabad: As candidates contesting the elections are coming up with new ways to woo voters, Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj said focus was being laid on curbing unauthorized means, with 20 enforcement agencies already being trained to prevent malpractices.

A couple of meetings were held for different agencies, including Income Tax, banks, police, GST, Enforcement Directorate and others to track any unauthorized practices. Weekly reports were being generated on the enforcement plans, he said.

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In the recently conducted elections in the neighbouring Karnataka, there were allegations that a party had offered ‘Gift cards’ to lure the voters in many constituencies.
“We are training all the enforcement agencies both Central and State to track such malpractices and curb them,” said Vikas Raj on the sidelines of inaugurating the Media Centre here on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, the CEO said the Central Election Commission was visiting the State on October 3, 4 and 5. During their visit, they will be holding meetings with State level Election Commission, political parties, District Collectors and SPs and Chief Secretary and Director General of Police.

The Special Summary Revision will be completed in a week and the final electoral rolls will be released by October 4. About 6.99 lakh young voters aged between 18 and 19 have been enrolled and about one lakh voters aged 80 and above and Persons with Disability have been identified, he said.

On the complaints being lodged by political parties over additions and deletions in the electoral rolls to favour a particular party, the CEO said the elections would be held transparently.

After conducting thorough enquiry regarding a complaint, a copy was being shared with the complainant. Similarly, copies were also being shared with representatives of all political parties. A lot of effort was being made to improve the electoral rolls, he said.

Once the final electoral rolls were released, the entire scene would shift to districts. Apart from appointment of Presiding Officers, Polling Officers, identification of strong rooms, polling stations would be taken up, besides training officials on conducting the elections, he added